I Have a Golden Crow

Du Yu stood up. ”Mm.”

Yinsuo: ”No matter what kind of revelation the Thunder Pool granted you, you must never divulge it to anyone else.

Once others know of it, the future may never come.

Human, the only thing you need to do is understand the meaning of the vision, read the warning within, and turn it to your own use.”

Du Yu: ”...”

A warning, huh?

The only color between heaven and earth was that green conical hat, and that’s supposed to be a warning?

The Chi Bear forming a palm with its left paw, a hollow grip with its right, then pressing lightly into its palm—was that a warning too?

Mm... it really does seem like it!

Otherwise, in that vision given by the Bamboo Shadow Thunder Pool, why would that Chi Bear sitting cross-legged above the Bamboo Sea communicate with me, a mere bystander?

The more important question is: as a living being inside the prophetic scene, how did it even communicate with me?

Du Yu had seen prophetic visions before. What the Bamboo Shadow Thunder Pool had shown him were always cold, hard facts.

But this time, the character inside the story actually interacted with him!

It was simply unbelievable...

Yinsuo: ”Come.”

Du Yu snapped back to himself and looked up.

He saw several Little Chi Bears quietly piecing together, wiggling their little butts as they toddled off toward the distant war axe.

Before long, the tiny transport team ran up in front of Du Yu.

”Pff~”

”Pa!” The Chi Bears all shattered one after another, turning into countless green points of light that merged into Du Yu’s body.

And that bamboo war axe also dropped to the ground by Du Yu’s feet.

This axe...

Du Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

In the prophetic scene just now, that insignificant Human standing beside the Chi Bear’s paw had been holding a war axe.

So,

that person was me, right?

And what I was holding wasn’t the Void Axe, but you?

Du Yu half-knelt, grasping the bamboo-wood haft with one hand. A searing heat washed over his palm.

Yinsuo: ”This axe was made from a single stalk of Tai Sui Fire Bamboo.”

Du Yu’s heart tightened. Tai Sui Fire Bamboo?

That’s a Holy Grade Demonic Plant, and one of the very mothers of the Bamboo Grove Realm!

The Chi Bears really went all-in—actually breaking off a small piece of the bamboo they hold most sacred in their hearts, just to give to me?

Yinsuo: ”This axe was personally forged by our Chi Bear Race’s Demon Weapon Master, Fire Age Master. We now gift it to you.”

Du Yu looked up at Yinsuo. ”You also have Demon Weapon Masters in your clan?”

Yinsuo gave a light nod. ”Human, although you’ve dwelled long in the Bamboo Grove, your understanding of our Chi Bear Race is still far from enough.

We are not some Demon Beast Race. We are a tribe.

We are the Chi Bear civilization!”

Du Yu gripped the giant bamboo axe and stood up.

Thinking about it, that made sense. The Human Race forges Demon Soldiers using Demon Souls, so with the Chi Bears’ level of intelligence, of course they can forge Demon Soldiers as well.

Just as Yinsuo said, the Chi Bear Race is indeed a civilization, far above other Beast Races.

Yinsuo: ”This axe is a General Grade Demon Soldier that nearly became Emperor Grade. Human, I believe you can help it become Emperor, and even go further beyond.”

Du Yu nodded heavily. ”I will!”

Yinsuo: ”The Demon Soldier Array inscribed upon this axe is called Heaven Burning, personally named by Fire Age Master.

As for the axe’s name, we’ll leave that to you.”

Du Yu didn’t hesitate. ”Since it was made by Fire Age Master, then let it be called the Fire Age Axe.”

”Good.” Yinsuo raised his bear paw, gesturing toward the tunnel entrance. ”Please.”

The sudden act of seeing him out caught Du Yu off guard.

Carrying the Fire Age Axe, he inclined his body slightly in salute to the five great Chi Bear Elders, then turned and left.

”Ying.” Watching Du Yu’s departing back, Yinsuo said softly, ”The future prophecy of this Human youth is not separate from us.”

Yinsuo turned around and looked at the few elders. ”He didn’t appear in our own vision, but only after he stepped into the Thunder Pool did we see such a scene.”

The elders all nodded slightly.

Yinsuo: ”He is the primer, the key that unlocks that scene.”

”Ying.”

”Ying...”

Du Yu hefted the red bamboo axe and strode out of the Thunder Pool Cave.

At the entrance, four gigantic Chi Bears stood solemnly, like statues.

The tiny Hongye came up to him, her Demon Soul surging toward Du Yu. ”Master.”

In truth, Hongye was far stronger than these few Chi Bears. She had merely activated the Ancient Body and adjusted her figure to a height of two meters, that was all.

Hongye looked at the axe in Du Yu’s hand. ”You obtained it.”

Du Yu picked up the Fire Age Axe and weighed it up and down. ”You recognize this axe?”

Hongye: ”This axe is made from Tai Sui Fire Bamboo, precisely from the Tai Sui Fire Bamboo of my tribe.”

Du Yu immediately asked, ”That stalk of Tai Sui Fire Bamboo is okay, right?”

”It’s fine.” Hongye shook her head. ”We only took a small strip of bamboo, it doesn’t affect the foundation of the Tai Sui Fire Bamboo.”

”Oh, that’s good then.” Du Yu was relieved and looked again at the War Axe. ”Fire Age Master said the Demon Soldier Array in this axe is called ’Heaven Burning’.”

”Heaven-Burning Array?” Hongye glanced around; the terrain in front of the cave was fairly open. ”Master can give it a try.”

Du Yu did as suggested, roused the Fire Demon Breath in his body, and poured it into the Fire Age Axe.

”Buzz!”

The Fire Age Axe gave a slight tremor, and the flame groove in the middle of the shaft suddenly lit up.

”Whoosh~”

Thick flames roared from the edge of the axe blade, completely igniting the broad axe head.

Only, once the Fire Age Axe was fully wreathed in flame, nothing else happened.

Du Yu thought for a moment, then swung the axe up into the air with his right hand.

Just as expected!

Demon Soldier Array·Heaven Burning!

Layers of flame sprayed into the sky, spreading like fire clouds and washing the cave area in a red glow.

But as a General Grade Demon Soldier, the Fire Age Axe couldn’t actually burn the heavens.

Those layers of flame could only hang ten-odd meters above ground, from which threads of fire drizzled down like a fiery rain.

”Huh?” Du Yu’s heart gave a jolt.

In that Ashen World, the sky shrouded in gray mist had also shed its cold mist in just this way!

The only difference from the Demon Soldier Array·Heaven Burning was that the gray mist was denser and far more massive.

Still, the Fire Age Axe was only a General Grade Demon Soldier for now—four words: the future is bright!

If one day the Fire Age Axe could reach God or Saint rank, maybe it could clash and wrestle on equal footing with that sky-filling gray mist!

The falling fire rain drifted down slowly, sprinkling for quite a while before the fire cloud mist in the air gradually dispersed.

Du Yu bathed in it, letting the fire rain fall on him; his Battle Robe only picked up a few fine crack lines.

It was clear the ”fire rain” falling down had its energy fairly scattered. Though it was a General Grade Demon Soldier Array, it couldn’t tear open the Demon Breath Battle Robe of a Great Demon Tamer·Peak Stage.

If Du Yu charged directly into the fire cloud mist in the air, the result should be different, right?

Du Yu mulled it over, then urged his Demon Breath and swung the axe forward.

”Whoosh~”

The fire cloud mist spread out like a wide carpet, unfurling over the ground.

The fire rain that should have fallen, once it touched the ground, also surged out in all directions.

Du Yu stretched out his left hand, reaching toward the ”fire cloud carpet”.

”Master.” Hongye reached out, grabbing Du Yu’s wrist. ”Let me try.”

”It’s fine, my Great Demon Emperor.” Du Yu smiled at the concern in Hongye’s eyes. ”Let go, I’ll do it.”

Hongye hesitated for a moment, then obediently loosened her bear paw.

The instant Du Yu’s hand plunged into the fire cloud mist, crisp cracking sounds rang out.

”Crack! Crack...”

Du Yu immediately pulled his hand back. The Demon Breath Battle Robe was already covered in lines of fine fractures.

The Heaven-Burning Array’s output wasn’t as overwhelmingly strong as he’d imagined.

The Battle Robe of a Great Demon Tamer· Peak Stage wasn’t shattered at a touch. It seemed this array wasn’t a pure heavy-assault type.

With a rough idea in mind, Du Yu hefted the Fire Age Axe and swung it across the ground, wanting to disperse the fire cloud mist.

”Whoosh~”

Unexpectedly, the fire cloud carpet rapidly contracted and was sucked back into the axe blade.

”Oh?” Du Yu raised his brows slightly. ”It can do that too?”

Not bad!

Du Yu twirled the Fire Age Axe in his hand, trying a flashy spin. ”Let’s go.”

Hongye: ”Where are we going?”

Du Yu started walking, speaking matter-of-factly. ”Home, of course—back to the Red Bamboo Courtyard.”

”Oh, okay.” Hongye followed along.

”You’re coming with me to the Red Bamboo Courtyard?”

”Of course!”

Du Yu stopped, turned his head, and looked at Hongye. ”You’re now the Clan Leader of a Tai Sui Fire Bamboo Tribe. If you leave with me, what about your tribespeople?”

Hongye looked into Du Yu’s eyes. ”I’m going home with you.”

”Mm... mm.”

Seeing Du Yu nod, a hint of a smile appeared in Hongye’s eyes. She reached toward the Fire Age Axe. ”Master, let me carry it for you.”

”Sure.” Du Yu let go of the shaft and walked toward the purple bamboo grove.

Behind him, Demon Emperor Hongye cradled the dark red Giant Axe, following in his footsteps.

...

Another 4,100 characters to go, asking for some Monthly Pass support.